Arrived in Munich around 8:00 am and after
straightening out things, went to find the group from
MSC [Montclair State College]. Found the hotel and
had breakfast and waited for them. Lucille finally
came down and it was really good to see her. She
really looked good and was as friendly and lively as
ever. She walked me around part of the town and we
talked a lot. It was nice to know some of the things
that were going on, and how people [old friends and
colleagues from MSC] were doing.

It [Munich] reminded me partially of the U.S. because
of all the business and stores around. It was also a
very expensive town. However, there were a number of
nice things to see.

Went back to the hotel and saw everyone else. Dr. S.,
Leroy, Tom, Pete, Bob, Dan, Guy (saw him next day in
the hospital—stomach disorder, not serious). There
were others. It was good to see everyone and talk.

Dr. S. let me tag along and so I went on a tour with
them. First, we went to Nuremberg Palace where
Maximillian lived. It wasn’t bad but couldn’t compare
with Belvedere or Schönbrunn. The best part was how
everyone was having a good time. The lively spirit
and fun of the whole group was one thing I miss in
Vienna. While walking along these paths and coming to
a divided path, Lucille, Leroy and some others
reenacted some scenes from the Wizard of Oz.

The
next place was Dachau—infamous Nazi concentration
camp. It was an experience. Anyone going there will
remember it for a lifetime. Going through the
exhibits and seeing the horrors and then walking
around in the “emptiness”, it still felt like there
were ghosts around. To paraphrase, “Those who don’t
remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.”
Went back and to dinner. Talked. Walked around among
other shops, sang some madrigals (haven’t done that
in a long time), and then went back to the room and
played charades—ha! What a day. Stayed for free. Felt
good.

REFLECTIONS

Ich
bin in München.I’m in
Munich. I spend an amazing sightseeing-packed day
with my great friends from my college, Montclair
State College. I liked Munich a lot and remember the
old town center, Marienplatz (opening picture), and
the famous Neues Rathaus clock tower (left). Later we
took a winter walk in some parks and went to the
Nuremburg Palace.

College friendships.It was
great to see my friends (above—Dan, Lucille, can’t
see who, Jack?), talk, goof around, and sightsee with
them. As I mention, having “college” fun with a group
of old friends is something I miss in Vienna. The
Wizard of Oz while walking? Singing madrigals in the
town center? Lucille was an incredible bubbly
character who was just a joy to spend time with.
She’s a favorite. You can see Lucille in the Dixie
Pixies photos in the Pictures area. Look for the
comedian (click
here).
College
choir.The reason
I got to meet my friends was that the madrigal choir,
under the direction of Dr. S., went on a small
European Christmas tour that included Munich. This
choir and its singers were good. What a great way to
perform and see a bit of culture. Dr. S. is a highly
regarded and published professor at MSC.

Maximillian’s
Nuremburg Palace.I don’t
know much about Maximillian except that he lived in a
pretty amazing palace with beautiful frescos. Maybe
not as big and fancy as Schönbrunn. Still very nice.

Dachau.The day
was made especially memorable by our visit to the
Nazi concentration camp, Dachau (left). It was moving
and a reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust. The
stillness and emptiness of the camp, in my mind,
served to remind me of the millions of lives lost
during this unspeakable time. (See below.) Horror is
the only word to describe this. I have photos of the
camp. I could not bear to take pictures of the photos
of human suffering seen within the museum.

Child playing in the emptiness of Dachau.

Live
or Facebook.Ok, kids,
a word of advice. “Live” interaction with friends is
way better than sitting in front of your computer
with Facebook. Today’s blog demonstrates that.
However, surprise! In 2009, a good friend from
Montclair State, Jack, discovered me on Facebook.
What a blast! Catching up on old times. I’m
contradicting myself, aren’t I? Live friends and
Facebook are both ok. You can see a picture of Jack
in the opening college photos of the Pictures area.
Jack is in the Phi Mu Alpha front row, right.

Photos
a’plenty.I have a
lot of photos from today (click
here). I’ll
post them in a special “slide show”
(click
here) in
the Pictures section of 36yearsago. Here’s a
picture of Pete and myself in the mirror at
Nuremburg Palace (right).
John